Draft-equalizer.



A. JOHNSON.

DRAFT EQUIALIZER. APPLICATION FlLElL FEB. 15, 1911.

Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

flue/afar canton.

AUGUST JOHNSON, or SOURIS,'1\TORTH DAKOTA. v

. DRAFT-EQUALTZER.

Specification of Letters-Patent.

Patented Dec. 10,1918;-

. Application filed February 15,1917. Serial NO.'148,835.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUsT JOHNSON, a citizen of Canada, residing at Souris, in the county of Bottineau and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Equalizers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in.

draft equalizers. One object is to provide a device of this class that is simple in construction, positive and eiiicient in operation and cheap to manufacture. A further object is to provide a device of this class particularly useful when a strong and weak draft animal compose the team and it is desired to permit the stronger animal to carry more than his share of the load. With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter fully described, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification.

The illustration is a plan view of my draft equalizer showing its application.

The reference numeral 1 denotes the tongue of a vehicle upon which the doubletree 2 is pivotally secured by bolt 3 in the usual manner, said doubletree carrying the swingletrees 1. The tongue 1 is provided upon each side with the spaced screw eyes 5, the screw eyes of one side of the tongue being directly opposite those of the other side. A contractile spring 6 upon each side of said tongue 1 connects one of the screw eyes 5 with a screw eye 7 of the doubletree, said screw eyes 7 being equidistant from the tongue 1. The springs 6 serve to equalize the pull upon the doubletree. If it is desired to throw a slightly greater load upon one draft animal the spring 6 upon the opposite side of the engagement with one of the forward screw eyes 5 of the tongue.

The tongue 1 is provided upon its upper face with a longitudinally extending bar 8, the ends of which are bent downward for engagement with the tongue so that the Ody portion of the bar is disposed above or spaced away from the tongue to afford clearance for a link 9 which is pivotally connected by a pin 10 with the said pin 10 being disposed a substantial distance to one side of the tongue upon said doubletree. When a weak and a strong 1s brought into tongue 1 is moved into,

doubletree,

horse are used as a team and it is not desired to overwork the weak horse he is hitched to the swingletree on the same side of the tongue 1 as the link 9. The horse upon the opposite side of the tongue may now pull a greater portion of the load. When his pull is sufliciently great to extend one spring 6 or break the same the link 9 positive engagement with the bar 8 at the rear or inner end of that bar thus positively limiting the pivotal Ipnovement of the doubletree in one direc- What is claimed is z 1. In a draft equalizer comprising a tongue, doubletree and swingletrees, screw eyes carried laterally of said tongue, springs interchangeably connecting of one side of said tongue with said doubletree, said springs engaging with said douletree upon opposite sides of its point of pivotal connection with said tongue, a bar carriedbv said tongue and extending longitudinally thereof and spaced thereabove, and a link pivotally secured to said doubletree to ne side of said tongue and engaging with said bar.

2. In a draft equalizer comprising a tongue, doubletree and swingletrees, screw eyes carried laterally of said tongue, springs interchangeably connecting the screw eyes of one side of said tongue with one edge of said doubletree, a bar carried by said tongue and extending longitudinally spaced thereabove, a pin fixed in the upper face of said doubletree, and a link connecting said pin and said bar.

3. In a draft equalizer comprising a tongue, doubletree and swingletrees, screw eyes carried laterally of said tongue upon opposite sides thereof, springs interchangeably connecting the screw eyes of one side of said tongue with the adjacent edge of said doubletree, said springs engaging with said doubletree upon opposite sides of its point of pivotal connection with said tongue, a bar carried by said tongue and extending longitudinally thereof and spaced thereabove, a pin carried by the said doubletree, and a link connecting said pin and bar.

4. In a draft equalizer comprising a tongue, doubletree and swingletrees, oppositely disposed screw eyes secured to the sides of said tongue, springs interchangeably connecting the screw eyes of one side of said tongue with said doubletree, a bar thereof andthe screw eyes carried by said tongue and extending longitudinally thereof and spaced thereabove,

and a link pivotally tree to one side of said tongue an 5 with said bar.

In testimony that secured to said double- 6. engaging I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signa- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the AUGUST JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

NILS I. DOKKEN, PETER Sco'r'r.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

